POLex 2026 Strengthens Regional Cooperation in Responding to Environmental Incidents in the Adriatic

28. 9. 2026

Slovenian Maritime Administration

Koper, Slovenia, hosted the international marine pollution response exercise POLex 2026 on 23 and 24 September 2026. The exercise was organised within the framework of the ASAP project (Adriatic Sensitive Areas Protection mechanism), coordinated by the Executive Secretariat of the Central European Initiative (CEI-ES) in Trieste and co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA ADRION Programme.

The event was organised within the framework of the Adriatic Sensitive Areas Protection mechanism (ASAP) project, in which the Slovenian Maritime Administration participates as a project partner. The ASAP project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA ADRION Programme.

The exercise was organised and hosted by the Slovenian Maritime Administration and brought together more than 200 participants, including operational teams, observers, experts, and representatives of competent authorities from across the Adriatic-Ionian region. The activities also involved the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), and other participating organisations.

The exercise was based on a simulated fuel spill in the northern Adriatic Sea and involved the cooperation of competent authorities and operational response teams. Its objective was to assess the coordination of procedures, communication channels, and operational response capabilities in the event of a marine pollution incident with cross-border implications. As part of POLex 2026, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were tested, while the CECIS MP 2.0 system, the European platform for information exchange and coordination during marine pollution incidents, was activated and verified.

Operational activities at sea involved, among others, the EFCA offshore patrol vessel Ocean Sentinel, the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti, the Italian tug SPICA, and marine pollution response vessels from Slovenia and Croatia. Participating units carried out activities in accordance with the coordinated marine pollution response scenario, including the deployment and connection of floating oil containment booms and the use of specialised vessel-tracking technology.

The conclusion of POLex 2026 coincided with World Maritime Day, which was marked this year by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”. The theme highlights the need to translate strategic policies, rules, and procedures into effective operational practice.